by Terri DuLong
“Good,” she said as a smile crossed her face. “Now on to Yarrow’s problem. You have two choices, my dear. You can either attempt to find another location downtown or . . . you can just close the tea shop completely. And I stay abreast of real estate in the historic district, so I feel quite justified in saying there are no empty shops at the moment that you could either afford or that would be conducive to a tea shop.”
Yarrow rolled her eyes again and took a sip of her tea before folding her legs beneath her and leaning forward. “And I just bet you have another solution, Aunt Mavis?”
Mavis Anne let out a sniff. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
I looked from one to the other and began to feel I was watching a television drama.
When Mavis Anne remained silent, Yarrow said, “Well?”
“Well, like I’ve always said . . . with some refurbishing and decorating, the schoolhouse would make an ideal tea shop.”
“And finally . . . you’ll get your way,” Yarrow stated, as a look of annoyance crossed her face.
“Call it what you will. I’m simply being practical. You’ll pay rent to me, so don’t worry about that, and if it makes you happy, I’ll charge you what you’re paying here. But you know yourself it’s a wonderful spot for a tea room. My goodness, you even have the French doors leading out to the garden and you could place some tables and chairs out there for the good weather.”
What Mavis Anne was saying certainly sounded logical to me, and I waited to see how this would play out, but Yarrow remained silent, sipping her tea and looking off to the side, avoiding eye contact with her aunt. After a few minutes, she banged her mug on the table and jumped up.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll consider it with a provision.”
These women were proficient in dealing with provisions.
“And what might the provision be?” Mavis Anne questioned.
“I will open my tea shop in the schoolhouse if Chloe will open a yarn shop in the front part of the building. If Chloe decides to rent your house and stay here, she’ll need a job. You’ve always wanted to own a yarn shop, and combining both my tea shop and a yarn shop makes perfect sense to me. It’s a win-win situation.”
I felt two pairs of eyes glued to my face.
Chapter 12
When I awoke on Friday morning, turning fifty-two wasn’t the first thought to cross my mind. My first thought was the fact that in a little over two weeks I’d be moving into Koi House. And it wasn’t a dream.
I was surprised that following our discussion two days before, neither Mavis Anne nor Yarrow had pressured me for a commitment. It had been agreed that I would take the time needed to make a decision on the yarn shop. And no matter what my decision was, it would be completely separate from our rental agreement.
I rolled over in bed and smiled. I was quickly forming a deep affection for both of these women. I couldn’t help but agree with Yarrow that opening a yarn shop in conjunction with her tea shop was a win-win idea. So many women enjoyed tea and just as many enjoyed knitting, as evidenced by those who gathered at Yarrow’s shop. Combining both in one venue would provide a warm and welcoming place for women in the community to come together to share their lives and themselves.
Getting up, I gave Basil a hug, threw on shorts and a T-shirt, clipped on his leash and headed out for our walk on the beach. The sun had just popped above the horizon, turning the sky a soft pink. I loved these morning walks and wondered if I’d miss them when I left the condo. But I smiled as I realized it wasn’t like living in Cedar Key, where one had to drive almost an hour to get anywhere. I could put Basil in the car, drive over the bridge, and we’d be at the ocean in five minutes.
When I returned to the condo an hour later, I noticed I had a message on my cell phone, and answered to hear Isabelle and Haley singing me a rendition of “Happy Birthday.” I smiled as I filled a mug with coffee and dialed Isabelle’s number.
“Thank you for the lovely birthday greetings,” I told her.
“It was our pleasure. Do you have an exciting day planned?”
“Not really. Just going to the tea shop later this afternoon. The group usually gathers there around two. But I have some news for you,” I told her and brought Isabelle up to date on my move to Koi House.
“That’s really great, Chloe, and I’m happy for you. The house sounds amazing and it sounds like the perfect place to begin a new chapter for yourself.”
“I think so, too, and hey, Mavis Anne was very insistent on letting me know I’m free to invite guests to visit. So I’d love to have you and Haley come stay with me.”
“Really? Gosh, that would be great. School finishes at the end of the month and I think we both could use a change. Thanks, Chloe. I’ll keep you posted, but maybe we’ll take a trip down there this summer.”
I received more birthday phone calls throughout the morning from Grace, Dora, and Berkley. Although Isabelle had called, I experienced a twinge of sadness once again on the loss of Gabe. To perk myself up I decided to treat myself to a birthday lunch at LuLu’s. It was located in Ormond Beach, not far from the condo, and I’d been told that patrons could dine outside and the restaurant was pet friendly.
“What do you think, Basil? Wanna help me celebrate my birthday with lunch out?”
A bark and jumping in circles told me it was a good idea.
Since LuLu’s was located a short distance from the condo, I thought Basil and I would walk over. It was a perfect May day with low humidity and a breeze off the ocean. We were seated at a table outside and Basil settled down by my feet as I looked the menu over.
“How’s that tire of yours?” I heard a male voice say. I looked up into the extremely handsome face of Chadwick Price.
“Oh . . . hi. The . . . um . . . tire is just fine,” I stammered.
Chadwick bent down to give Basil a scratch between his ears as the dog danced in circles with happiness. I knew he loved me, but he also missed male companionship.
Chadwick smiled at Basil. “Good to see you again, buddy. Glad to hear you got that tire taken care of. So you’re settling in okay?”
Before I could answer, the waitress came back, spotted Chadwick, and a huge smile crossed her face. “Mr. Price, so nice to see you again. Are you joining this woman for lunch?”
“Hi, Whitney. Actually, she does owe me a drink,” he said, pulling out the chair across from me and sitting down.
I looked from him to the waitress and back to him again and saw his raised eyebrows and smirk.
“Ah, right. Sure . . . that would be . . . fine. I’m having lunch. Would you like to join me?” I was certain this was the first time I’d ever been in such an awkward position over lunch.
“That would be great,” he said as if it was all my idea. “A glass of wine first?”
I simply nodded as he took control and ordered for both of us.
When Whitney walked inside, Chadwick let out a laugh. “Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable, but I couldn’t resist the chance to cash in on that drink for services rendered. By the way . . . I almost didn’t recognize you.” A smile crossed his face. “You look a bit different from the day you had the flat.”
I was glad I’d taken extra care with my hair and makeup that morning and chosen to wear a nice pair of cropped pants and knitted top. “Right,” I said. “As opposed to looking like a drowned rat.”
He laughed again. “So . . . are you settling in okay? Do you like it here?”
“I do like it here a lot. As a matter of fact, I’ve made a commitment to stay for a year.”
“That’s great, but I’m not surprised. It’s a wonderful area and a great community. So you’re able to have the condo you rented for a year?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m only there till the end of the month. I’ve been very fortunate to meet a wonderful woman, and she’s going to rent me her house, but I have to sign a lease for one year, which is fine. You might know her. Mavis Anne Overby.”
Chadwick threw his
head back laughing. “Oh, yes. I think everybody knows Mavis. She’s a real character. Ah, so you’ll be living at Koi House?”
I nodded. “Yeah, and it was really odd how it all happened. I went to the tea shop, met both Yarrow and Mavis, we connected, and here I am . . . renting her house.”
“That’s wonderful. I have no doubt you’ll love it there.”
Whitney brought our wine and said, “Ready to order?”
With no hesitation, Chadwick said, “Yes, I’ll have the cobb salad.”
I guess I was also treating him to lunch. “I’ll have the same,” I told her.
He lifted his glass and said, “Well, let me officially welcome you to Ormond Beach. I think you’ll be very happy here.”
“Thank you,” I said and took a sip of the red wine. “Hmm, this is good.”
“Glad you like it. It’s one of my favorites here.” He took a sip and then reached down to pat Basil, who was relishing the newfound attention. “He’s really cute. What’s his name?”
“This is Basil,” I told him. “He belonged to my significant other, but Gabe passed away last year, so I inherited his dog.”
“Oh, I’m sorry for your loss, but how nice you and Basil have each other. Losing a loved one is never easy.”
I saw a sad expression cross his face, making me think he’d probably also experienced a loss.
“So if you’re going to be living here, are you also looking for a job?” he asked.
I nodded. “I am but I’m not sure yet exactly what I’ll be doing. I was a partner in a yarn shop on Cedar Key and I have a degree in textile and fiber, so I’ll probably do something in that area again.”
“That would be great. I’m sure the town could use a yarn shop. Have you thought of opening one here?”
I felt a smile cross my face. “I’ve given it a little thought, but nothing definite yet.”
“I own a real estate office in the area, so if you need any help finding space, just let me know. Do you come to LuLu’s often?”
“My first time. But since it’s my birthday, I thought I’d treat myself to lunch,” I said and then regretted the mention of my birthday.
“Oh, well happy birthday to you,” Chadwick said, lifting his wineglass. “I’m glad I bumped into you to help you celebrate.”
Actually, so was I. There are worse things than having lunch with a good looking and pleasant guy. Looking at him more closely across the table, I realized there was something familiar about him. I had sensed it the first time we met in the pouring rain but didn’t give it much thought. But now I could see he looked vaguely familiar, even though I was pretty sure we’d never met before two weeks ago.
“Thank you,” I said. “So are you from Florida originally?”
“No, I’m from the Atlanta area. But when I hit the big three-oh, I decided to relocate down here. My life seemed to be going nowhere. I did have a real estate business up there that was doing fairly well, but then my brother passed away and I thought maybe it was time for a whole new start. I found the house in Ormond-by-the-Sea, opened a business here, and twenty-five years later, I’ve never looked back. It was the right choice for me.”
I was pretty sure that the loss of his brother accounted for his earlier expression of sadness.
“And hopefully, this area will prove to be the right choice for you as well,” he said.
By the time we finished lunch, I was shocked to see it was going on three and we’d been sitting there talking for more than two hours.
“Oh, gosh,” I said, glancing at my watch. “I guess I’d better get going. I have to take Basil back home and get over to the tea shop. I told Mavis Anne and Yarrow I’d stop by around three.”
Chadwick lifted his hand in the air to signal the waitress. When Whitney approached, passing him the check, he said, “Well, thank you for a delightful lunch. I really enjoyed it and I hope you’ll enjoy the rest of your day.”
“But that check is mine,” I told him. “I want to repay you for helping me.”
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Consider it my birthday lunch to you.”
“Well, thank you. That’s really nice but I still have to do something to repay you.”
“I agree,” he said and I saw a sexy grin cross his face. “You should give me your number so I can call you to make arrangements to take you to dinner some evening.”
It had been a long time since a guy had flirted with me and it took a moment to realize he was doing exactly that. I laughed before saying, “You’re a tough businessman.”
Chapter 13
I arrived at the tea shop about thirty minutes later to find a large gathering of women, birthday balloons, and a huge cake decorated with my name.
When I walked inside, everyone yelled, “Happy birthday, Chloe!”
I instantly felt a sense of acceptance and friendship as a huge smile crossed my face.
My gaze flew to Mavis and Yarrow and I shook my head. “You guys should not have done this, but thank you.”
“Any excuse to eat cake,” Louise hollered, causing me to laugh.
“Come on,” Mavis said, patting the chair beside her. “Come sit down and let Yarrow wait on us.”
Yarrow walked over and gave me a hug. “Happy birthday, Chloe. I don’t think you’ve met Paige yet,” she said and pointed to a young woman on the sofa who appeared to be in her early thirties. “Paige owns the dog grooming shop in town.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said and I noticed she was working on a gorgeous lace shawl.
“Same here. That shawl is beautiful.”
“Thanks. It’s the knit-along pattern for Downton Abbey. The pattern is on Ravelry and I’m using the Lorna’s Laces yarn.”
“The colors are spectacular.”
“I know. One skein is Edith’s Secret and I chose Old Rose for the other one.”
“I think I might have to get that pattern and yarn,” I told her.
“We’re all Downton Abbey fans here,” Yarrow said. “Do you watch the show?”
I laughed and nodded. “Definitely.”
“I would have loved living in England during that era,” Mavis said. “But of course I’d only live upstairs.”
The women laughed and Maddie said, “Oh, I don’t know. Some of those maids seem to be pretty happy.”
“I’ll start slicing the cake,” Yarrow said, heading back to the counter. “It’ll go great with tea.”
I sat down and removed the socks I was working on from my bag.
“Oh, pretty color,” Paige said.
“Thanks. Yeah, I liked the mulberry. This is the fairly new CoBaSi yarn by HiKoo. It’s a blend of cotton, bamboo, and silk. Perfect for socks in Florida and it has a bit of elastic in it, which makes it really nice.”
“Oh, I’d heard about that yarn,” Maddie said, getting up to take a closer look. “And you’ll carry this when you open our new yarn shop, right?”
My head snapped up to see the crowd of women staring at me. “What?” I said.
Mavis Anne waved her hand in the air. “Now, now, women. Give Chloe a break. She hasn’t actually agreed to this plan.”
I let out a chuckle and shook my head. These women were no different from the ones in Cedar Key. Gossip traveled at lightning speed and apparently the topic of the new tea shop and possible yarn shop had already been discussed.
“Yes,” I blurted out. “I will definitely be carrying this yarn.” Although until I’d just said the words, I hadn’t been certain. But I was now. “I’ve made my decision. I’m very fortunate to have met Mavis Anne and Yarrow and be given this opportunity. So yes . . . I’m confirming the fact that I’d love to open a yarn shop here in Ormond Beach.”
A round of applause filled the shop.
“Yay for you.”
“Yay for us.”
“Oh, I’m so happy—it’s such a great location for the new business.”
The excited comments from the women spilled forth until Mavis stamped the floor with her cane, dema
nding attention.
“Well, a very wise decision indeed,” she stated and shot me a huge smile. “I’m very happy to hear this, Chloe. We’ll get together over the next few days to work out the details.”
“So how much longer will you have the tea shop open?” Maddie questioned.
“Now that Chloe has committed, I’ll give my notice that I’m vacating. If possible, I’d like to stay here another month or so. And plan to close on July first.”
Louise put the sweater she was working on in her lap and looked up. “And how long will we have to wait for the new tea and yarn shop to open?” She looked at Mavis, waiting for an answer.
“I’m not sure,” Mavis said. “I have to call in a contractor to do some work on the schoolhouse and then of course stock for both yarn and tea will have to be ordered. We’ll have to decorate and get everything in order. I would think we should be up and fully operational by late September.”
A collective groan filled the room.
“Oh, no,” Louise said. “We have to wait till then to gather for our knitting?”
“Not exactly,” Mavis explained. “Chloe and I will discuss it, but I was thinking we might be able to meet at least once a week at Koi House. Of course, this will be entirely up to Chloe, since it will be her home.”
“Oh, absolutely,” I said. “That’s a great idea and I’d love it. Let’s do it until the new place is open.”
“What a relief,” Louise said, causing us to laugh.
Conversation continued as we enjoyed our cake and tea. The women offered some great ideas for the yarn shop and suggestions for various classes we could do. I found myself getting quite excited about the new path my life was about to take.
“Oh, Paige,” I said. “Do you have a business card? Poor Basil is looking a bit shaggy. I’d love to book an appointment for him.”
She reached into her bag and passed me a card. “Great. I’d love to meet him.”
“And since you’re going to be living and working here,” Maddie said, “I’d love to be your tour guide and drive you around to learn the area.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun,” I told her. “I’m free anytime, so whenever is good for you.”